The question is often asked as to the origin of the primrose being called "Lord Beacons field's flower," and some of our readers may be glad to know the real facts. On the day of the great statesman's funeral, the Queen sent down a wreath made of those exquisite blos soms, with a label attached, "His favorite flower." To most English people the words bore the right meaning of the royal donor, that primroses were the "favorite flowers" of Al bert the Good, and that in forwarding them a double tribute was intended to be paid to him whom England mourned that day;. but it is said that some land-owners needing a " tak ing" title for their Anti-Land League, took that of "primrose," and allowed the idea to creep in that has since become so prevalent in society. Amongst some of the most curious of the Czar's possessions is an album containing pho tos of all the Nihilists who have been con cerned in plots against him. The Czarina is naturally anxious that it should be destroyed,. as she drea...

A Sad Story. An unpleasant contretemps took place at the opera on Tuesday night. A young gentle man, who had made the most desperate sacrifices to take his girl to the glittering show, had his attention attracted by a per son immediately behind him, who, every few minutes, persisted in stroking ?his shoul der, brushing off dust, picking off bits of thread, etc. " Gustavus," whispered the lady, " either that man is insane or he wants to abstract .your collar-button." "If\ he touches me again," replied the youth, fiercely, "I'll brain him with my binoculars." A minute afterward the intruding hand was felt upon his shoulder. The indignant dude stood up, turned around and froze the insolent fellow with an awful glance. Then 'he sat down with a complacent expression, as if to say, " I've fixed him now." The wretch hissed in his ear in a stage whisper: '"Please, sir, you've got" the tails under you, ard this is the first night that coat has been out." With a hollow groan the hapless boy r...

Nothing Smaller than a Fiver. He had "nothing Tmaller than a five pound note." The conductor on the Flinder's street tram car made a critical examination of his features, .and, replied leisurely; " Well, I can change it." The passenger appeared somewhat surprised, but gave up the five pound note, and the conductor reached down in his right coat pocket and drew out a huge handful of small silver money. Fifty of these coins were counted out and placed in the passenger's hand. A dive down into the left coat pocket pro duced a handful of' peiinies. Twenty of these were counted; out to the passenger, whose face assumed a look of protest, while the other passengers began to smile. Down into a pocket of his pantaloons went the busy conductor and forth came a larger hand ful than any that had been called out before -of half-pennies. The passenger who had nothing smaller than a five pound note now went into open rebellion. His hands were already loaded down with small coins. He said he would...

THE SOLEMN HALF-HOUR. ° BY SILAs SNELL. THE STAGE LAUGH, We are suffering from the stage laugh;, it is a vile and wicked thing, with no other purpose in existence than to congeal the young blood of the pleasure-seeker, tangle. np his nerves,. and make life hateful to him. The stage laugh is a rampant terror, a high-handed outrage, an unnatural, uncanny thing, stalking through our sunny southern land in defiance of all law and order. Hitherto no knight of the Press has taken up his Archimedean lever to transfix the grizly scare ; but, driven to desperation, we arise with flying hair, foamflecked, to gore the enemy of hope and joy, to knock it sick. Let it soak its fists in brine and prepare for the conflict. The stage guffaw has many phases, many ways of insulting the feelings of a sensitive people, and the feeblest and gentlest are not exempt from its attacks. Its harsh clangour strikes upon our appalled senses in our happiest moments, freezing the soul of the hearer into a ball no ...

From Sydney to New York : "OVER THE RIO GRANDE AND BURLINGTON ROUTES. By E, W. MooN, Consul-General for Costa Rica. (Continued.); SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. "A land fowing with milk and honey."-Holy Bef r . Scripture. Before proceeding on our journey :east ward we decided to visit the pleasure re sorts of the Pacific coast, about which we had heard so-much, viz., Santa Cruz, Monte rey, and the .Yosemite Valley and the Big Trees ; and at all seasons these are fittings: places for a tourist's visit. And now, my good Australian friends, we are going on a fresh stage of ouir journey, so you can. 'leave :the bulk of your luggage with' the "Maajor," take a small travelling bag with younand then take the train to Santa Cruz or Mbnterey, or both, for each is easily ac cessible one from the other. Santa Cruz is a great fishing resort; some of the finest trout streams in the world are to be found near there, and for line fishing - it cannot be beaten. During our' .visit we hired a skiff and went fi...

The barbers trace their calling back to Sol6mon, who was the first'hair-cittter. ? Previous training: The new servant'(be' ginning to pour, the champagne)-." Say when." Beauty is but skin-deep', they say ; but as long as skins remain in" fashiodn, that is deep enough for all practical purposes. - Cook-books are' evidently not of modern 'origin, for Bacon rayis "Some books:are' to be tasted," some eaten, and some di. 'gested." iA poet sings, "If misfortune overtakesyou, smile." A great many do that, only'they "smile" first, and misfortune overtakes themn afterward. Joe: "1 wonder why Scribe wears his hair long. Is it because he is eccentric ?" Eli: "No. He. wears it long '.because it: would cost sixpence to have it trimmed."' An exchang: states that "' William Stur-, geon, the famdus electrician, rose rapidly from a. cobbler's bench." ,He probably sat on the sharp end 'of the awl. . "You don't taste any veal about them chicken balls," said the ,restaurant pro :prietor, with conscious...

Inspiring 'Confidene. .' "Hold' on there 1'" demandedi .the --pro-. prietor of a swell city restaurant, addressing a man wh'o was hurriedly leaving the;house._.. "You haven't paid for your meal.", .. "There, now, you have spoiled it all 14.' : "Done what ?" " Hurt my prospects." "Don't know anything about your_ pros- pects, but why did you want to slip. out' of here without paying?" .... " My dear sir, I fear it will be difficult to make you understand me. You: see, when I go to town the first thing .Ido. is to. gain. the... confidence of people and--" "That's all right, but you made .a poor start here." " That's where you are wrong.. My idea was to go away, owing you half a-crown. After 'awhile I 'would come back and say, ' Excuse me for interrupting you, my dear sir, but the morning I 'ate breakfast hiereI forgot to pay you. Don't want to take up any of your valuable time, sir, but here's your money.' Now," he continued, " I have discovered that nothing pleases a Melbourne man so ...

Poor Papa. Ada-" Poor papa has. a toothache this morning, Edith. I don't think it is a gopd .time to speak apount the seal.skin cloaks. The bill can be sent quietly into the office." r Ada-" Supposing you ask for enough to cover our party net Saturday. =Poorýpapa ?so'dislikes:?aiwing cheques, and it's too bad to ti uble him twice. Olyi be sure you ,make it large enough. There's the lunchiat Gunsler's, you know." Edith-" You think that's batter than: a dinner afterwards 1" Ada-" No, I don't ; I prefer the dinner; but you see-poor papa-" Edith-" Really, it will do h n good to dine alone once in a way. He often says we; make his head spin with our chatter. -I don't doubt he'll enjoy. his dinner the better for the silence." Ada-" Very likely he will. Oh, and I have an idea. :Why couldn't we invite old Cousin Martha to dine with him on Satur day night ?7 She's got to be asked sometime this week, you know-she goes Monday and she is such a pill. It would be a good time to get it over." .. ...

It Shall Not Go. Some blushing iconoclast says that, in the interest of manly beauty, the moustache must "go." But it will not depart. ,The hand that rocks'the cradle is the hand that rules the world, and that hand has a firm grip on man on this subject. Woman, lovely, ex. pensive woman, believes in the ;old Spanish saykig, "A kiss without a moustache is like an egg without salt." As the adorable sex enjoy their caresses, like their food, well seasoned, and as man lives to phase them, the moustache will remain to perform that work for which God designed it, and which woman has so earnestly and zealously ap. proved,

FOOD AND CARE OF BROOD MARES A majority of colts are raised from mares that work more or less regularly on farmes, "and while this is tryingo0n the' mares, it"is remarkable -how. well they do if giveniproler `food and ccaie. "Continuous' hard work; such that a strong gelding can hardly endure, should never be required of mares kept for breeding purposes. Before foaling, the mare should not be driven at more than a very moderate gait, neither should she be heavily loaded, especially when the footing is poor. A week or so of rest should always be al lowed after foaling, and- she should not be allowed to become very tired or warm. A common mistake among farmers consists in keeping t- eir horses through the spring on corn and hay alone. For the ibrood mare this ration is particularly poor, as she must furnish material to grow muscles, bones and nerves in the colt. Corn not only lacks much of the growth-making material, but its one sidedness has in it an element of injury. It is heating ...

Reliable Information. A friend of ours used to tell of a man who, while drinking from; a bowl of punch, s8allowed a spool of silk, and finding the end in his mouth, attempted to draw it out. The silk unwound. First with one hand and then with the oTher, he pulled, but still no end.: Longer and longer grew the thread, while his hands, now right then left, wove back and forth from his lips to arm's length. At last, in .terror, he cried out to his wife, " Betsy I Help I Murder I I'm all un ravelling" I" The story is paralleled by one told of a young man, who, having bought a pair of trousers, wore them for the first time to a party. Hair parted in the middle, faultless linen, brilliant necktie, shining boots, and his new trousers made him vain of his ap pearance, and led him to think that every one in the room was admiring him. All would have gone well if the young man had not, as young men with proud heads will do, looked often with satisfaction at his feet and legs. But, charmed with...